KEY TAKEAWAYS
- While MBA programs can be costly, several online options have significantly lower tuition rates.
- Many affordable online MBA programs offer flexible schedules and specialized tracks.
- These programs provide networking opportunities, career coaching, and access to extensive alumni networks.
Having an MBA to your name can lead to significant professional rewards and recognition, but they don’t come cheap.
In 2025, some top business schools are offering their programs at over $250,000 in tuition. It’s getting more and more expensive to get an MBA, especially for international students. Most of the rise has come due to higher tuition at many US colleges. Even though it has been very well established that good business schools offer MBA courses for much less, it is not beyond consideration that an MBA course of the same order could be available at an equal cost in a foreign country.
But luckily, not all programs will drain your pocketbook and cause the need to take on student loans. Specifically, an online MBA degree doesn’t have to cost a fortune for international students. Some online programs offer part-time students the chance to earn an MBA for only a few hundred dollars per credit. An MBA is believed to be one of the most popular degrees among students aspiring to hold top-tier corporate executive positions. The reasons behind this are the high relevance such management studies provide to students in the context of the globalized society of today.
Here are a few affordable online MBA programs for international students.
1. Florida Gulf Coast University – Online MBA
This accredited online MBA program emphasizes the application of analytical, technical and behavioral tools to meet organizational challenges. Leadership and teamwork skills are integrated throughout the program, as are lessons on the appropriate application of technology, entrepreneurial approaches, and global and ethical awareness. You will learn to apply academic theory to real-world challenges. Best of all, its in-state tuition and fees is reported to be around $6,000, with out-of-state tuition and fees at around $25,000.
2. Bloomington Kelley School of Business – Online MBA
The Kelley Direct Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program offers the rigor you expect from a world-renowned business school, with the flexibility you need to keep working while earning your degree. This top-ranking program offers flexible schedules, a number of networking opportunities, and a team of devoted professors. Professors use quality materials, give personalized attention, and are able to keep online students just as engaged as if they were physically sitting in the classroom. From your very first day in our online MBA program, you’ll have the dedicated support of an experienced career coach, plus a lifelong connection to the largest business school alumni network in the world. There’s also unlimited access to best-in-class career services as you navigate your professional life after graduation. The best part is that you can complete the MBA in two years without breaking the bank.
3. University of North Georgia – Online MBA
The University of North Georgia’s online MBA program launched in 2022, allowing students to pursue an integrated graduate certificate in cybersecurity, entrepreneurship and innovation, technology leadership, or compliance and ethics, using those courses as MBA electives. Their dynamic, fully online program is crafted for ambitious business leaders who can experience the flexibility to study anywhere, anytime, while preparing to lead and excel in a rapidly evolving business landscape. This valuable option not only enriches your learning outcomes but also equips you with targeted skills that are highly valued in today’s competitive job market, amplifying your career potential and setting you apart as a leader in your field. Their total cost for out-of-state students is reported to be at $9,000, which is reasonably more affordable than some business schools.
4. Jack Welch Management Institute – Online MBA
Students enrolled in the Jack Welch Management Institute online MBA program look to the former General Electric CEO’s winning strategies to be passed on to them. As a globally-recognized business leader,” Jack Welch shares his renowned philosophy on leadership and management by being personally involved with the program. The courses provide a firm academic grounding in leadership strategy, marketing, and finance. This online MBA is best suited for professionals looking for a well-rounded experience that can be applied to any industry and at any career stage. Their flexible program lets you choose each term’s courses based on your schedule, so you can complete your MBA in 18 to 36 months. The reported tuition per course is around $3,000, with the institute itself offering scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $23,100.
5. Eccles School of Business – Online MBA
At the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, MBA online students share the same “phenomenal” and “supportive” professors as their on-campus counterparts, but benefit from the “convenience” and “accessibility” of an entirely online format. Students choose the University of Utah for its “great reputation” and “cutting-edge” outlook. When they arrive, they love how “the program is run extremely effectively” and that the “administration is always responsive and accommodating.” This online MBA program defies conventional expectations of online learning. The students learn through content specifically designed by our in-house, online development team for a digital platform. tHEY engage and connect with their faculty and peers in online forms, web conferences, weekly live webinars, and an array of resources. The program has a fixed tuition rate for both residents and non-resident, and is reported to be nearly 15% less than others.
For students looking to study abroad and needing guidance to enter today’s competitive business world, enrolling in an affordable MBA program at a low cost is definitely possible if you know where to look.
